Route V To Be Realigned
Published: Tuesday, May 12, 2009
by Catherine Stortz Ripley, C-T

CAPTION: The old wooden bridge stretching over the IC&E railroad tracks on Bridge Street will be closed down and demolished and a new bridge will be built on Polk Street (north of the existing bridge) to better handle Route V traffic. The Chillicothe City Council approved a partnership with the Missouri Department of Transportation Monday night for the project, which is estimated to cost $3.7 million. The city's portion of the project will be 40 percent, with a $1.5 million cap. The project is slated for 2011.

C-T Photo/Laura Schuler

The City of Chillicothe has entered into a partnership with the Missouri Department of Transportation to demolish the old wooden bridge on Bridge Street and build a new one on Polk Street. The project is estimated to cost $3.7 million and will involve closing down the Route V/Bridge Street bridge over the IC&E railroad tracks on the east side of town and building a new bridge on Polk Street (north of the existing bridge) to better handle Route V traffic. In order to do so, the existing Polk Street would be extended on east to hook up with Route V.

The city’s share of the project will be 40 percent with a $1.5 million cap, according to the agreement unanimously approved by Chillicothe City Council members Monday night. The state would absorb any cost overruns, according to Dan Niec, MoDOT district engineer, who was on hand at the meeting to explain the project and field questions. Up to eight houses will be affected by the new road construction, Niec said, adding that the next step will be for MoDOT to meet with property owners in the area.

Street Superintendent Hugh Musselman said a direct route would eliminate issues involving sight limitations, multiple levels of gradation and sharp turns. Currently, motorists traveling Polk Street who want to connect with Route V must travel on Broadway and Bridge streets and navigate a series of 90-degree turns.

City Street Overlay Program to Begin Soon
Published: Wednesday, May 13, 2009, C-T

Bids for Chillicothe’s 2009 installment of the street overlay program came in slightly higher than anticipated yet city council members unanimously approved the low bid submitted by APAC — Missouri, Inc., of Columbia. APAC, which has handled the city’s overlay project for the last several years, submitted the lowest of two bids, which was $287,192. The other bid was $377,172. Council members reviewed these bids during their regular semimonthly meeting Monday evening at City Hall.

Ron Urton, with the city’s contracted engineering firm of Shafer, Kline and Warren, said that the cost of asphalt had increased which made the bid higher than expected. The engineer’s estimate was $274,712. Work is expected to start sometime after the preconstruction meeting later this month. The project is to be completed by Aug. 1.

In other business Monday evening, the council approved changes to the city’s fire code ordinance. The changes primarily allow for open burning of organic products such as yard waste, leaves and tree limbs 2 inches in diameter and smaller between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. The amendment also outlines requirements for recreational fires, stating that the size of the fire should be no more than three feet in diameter, the material being used is clean wood or charcoal and that some type of enclosure exists to encircle the fire in a safe containment.

Mayor Chuck Haney presided over Monday night's meeting with the full council present. In other business, the council members:

• Approved the payment of invoices, $587,122.82, and payroll, $116,661.48.
• Were introduced to Aaron Minnick who was recently promoted to lieutenant for the Chillicothe Department of Emergency Services.
• Approved in executive session the hiring of Jillian Littrell as assistant manager at Green Hills Golf Course.
• Approved an amendment to farm ground lease with Gary and Steve Minnick Farms for land at the municipal airport. In order to meet FAA requirements, the amount of land that is leased for farming needs to be reduced by 25 acres in order to provide a clear area between the runway and crops, which will also provide greater site distance. The amendment is part of plans for the airport's runway expansion.